Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/202

 my father) Margaret? I beseche our Lord, that if euer I make such a cheaunge, it maye bee to late in dede. For well I wotte the chaunge can not be good for my soule, that chaunge I saye that shoulde growe but by feare. And therefore I pray God that in thys world I neuer haue good of such change. For so muche as I take harme here, I shall haue at the least wise the lesse therfore when I am hence. And if it so were that I wiste well nowe, that I sholde feynte and falle, and for feare sweare hereafter, yet woulde I wyshe to take harme by the refusyng fyrst: for so shold I haue the better hope for grace to ryse againe. And albeit (Marget) that I wot well my lewdenes hath been suche: that I knowe my selfe well woorthye that God shoulde let me slippe, yet can I not but trust in hys mercifull goodnes, that as his grace hath strengthed me hetherto, and made me contente in my hearte, to leese, good, lande, and lyfe too, rather than to sweare agaynst my conscience, and hath also putte in the kyng toward me, that good and gracious mynde, that as yet he hath taken fro me nothing but my libertie, (wherwith, as helpe me God), his grace hath doone me so great good by the spiritual profite that I trust I take thereby, that among all his great benefites heaped vppon me so thycke, I reckon vpon my fayth my prisomment euen the very chief; I cannot, I saye, therfore mistruste the grace of God, but that either he shall conserue and kepe the king in that gracious mynde still, to doe me none hurt, or els if hys pleasure be, that for myne other synnes I shall suffer in suche a cause in sighte as I shall not deserue, his grace shal geue me that strength to take it pacientlye, and peraduenture somewhat gladdely to, wherby his high goodnes shall (by the merites of his bitter passion joyned thereunto, and farre surmounting in merite for me, all that I can suffer my selfe), make it serue for release of my payne in purgotorye, and ouer that for encrease of some rewarde in heauen. Mystruste him, Megge, will I not, though I fele me faynt. Yea, and though I shoulde feele my feare euen at poynt to ouerthrowe me to, yet shall I remember howe Saynte Peter with a blaste of a wynde beganne to synke for his faynt fayth, and shall doe as he did, call vpon Christ and pray him to helpe. And than I truste